Bad weather has many of us confined inside against the freeze.
I have been using this time to review last summers garden to see what plants need new companions.
My wish list includes. Santa Rosa Gardens
Heleniums, Bandara,Fuego and Mariachi Sombrero.

Bluestone: Veronica Charlotte



My coleus order to RosyDawn got out of control.It usually does.
Sent in my Caladium order, delivery late May. It's useless to plant those bulbs before late may when the soil is just warm enough. They don't grow before mid June here

It would be great to see what others are ordering..

Some collages of the coleus I ordered.
I am using mostly bright greens and yellows with dark purple accents. I may add white calibrichoas,just have to see if they are needed

Not many plans so far. None of the new Heuchera selections seem that different from past years. There are a couple of Heucherella that I might order Plum Cascade and Onyx look nice. Echinacea Kismet Orange did very well so if I see the new red and yellow versions I will get them.

As far as Annuals , I wait till Spring to see what looks good at a grower in the area that sells to the public.

yeh on annuals for me too. I see what they have, mostly color is what makes my choices.

I have 5 hosta ordered (so far!) from Naylor Creek, dahlias from Mandolls and 4 different varieties of Asiatic Lily from the co-op. I also ordered a mama and baby dragonfly on a stand from my creative friends! It's going to take a huge chunk out of my budget, so I'm hoping that the majority of my perennials survive this cold blast that we've had.

I've started a new bed this year beside some refurbished steps. Nature had already seeded some asclepias tuberosa and laziness had rooted some Louisiana Iris Voodoo Rite. ( I tossed some rhizomes into the brush. I never expected them to take root.) This fall I spread compost and transplanted some volunteer rudbeckia and echinacea. I was allowed to gather a few rose campion volunteers from my church's memory garden. Now I've gone shopping.

I started timidly with American Meadows ordering only one sample plant for now, but I bought Colrain Red Bee Balm, Little Spire Russian Sage and Purple Dome New England Aster as well as three more Ascot Rainbow Euphorbia for my shade garden.

The shopping bug really hit when I got to High Country Gardens. I've ordered 3 of each Nepeta faassenii Select Blue, Achillea Moonshine and Linum perenne Appar.

I'm trying to control the shopping compulsion but I've got a Bluestone wishlist with achillea Red Velvet and Oenothera Sunset Boulevard.

I have grown Achillea Moonshine. It is a really intense yellow

The collages are very nice combos, Jo Ann !

I do most from seeds. Currently I have Nepeta mussini and Saxifraga X arendsi as sprouts only.

For the fall, I will watch for good deals on Peonies and Martagon lilies.

I love Martagones. I was surprised they were so small. I expected a 5 foot plant with larger blooms.
Russian Morning

R O Backhouse

ge1836, the achillea is lovely. I hope mine does as well.

CarolineScott, I've tried growing things from seed with little success. Yet my rudbeckia, echinacea, asclepias tuberosa, and even my hellebores all produce strong healthy volunteers in their respective flower beds. Ironically, my arum italicum rarely sets fruit in its original bed any more, but birds have scattered the seeds along the rocky hillside below the bed and and I often see beautiful berries. I've been told that this plant does not like the improvements I've made in the very poor soil over the 20 years I've been working that bed.

Just ordered a flat of 50 Geranium Rozanne from Santa Rosa Gardens, mostly for my Mom's garden, but will keep a few for me. Bought just two plants last spring and they are very happy in her sandy soil, which I amended. She want's More!

My order from High Country Gardens arrived while I was in the garden. From what their literature says their plants may or may not like my clay soil. They tend not to like highly amended soil either. The soil in this new area does fit the not highly amended description,, although that I could change over time. I don't know enough about catmint, achillea, or blue flax to make predictions. Some of the volunteer plants that I set in last fall survived the winter and are putting forth new growth, so I have some hope.

I believe all the plants you listed are really sturdy survivors.
It's going to look great.

Every year I tell my husband that I'm not going to buy another thing until I have everything in the ground...he just rolls his eyes! I've added more to my springtime orders! I've ordered 2 varieties of Ligularia, some bleeding hearts, 4 colors of Trillium, Canary Brilliants peony, and 5 varieties of coral bells. I hope warm weather gets here soon so I'll be too busy outside to see all the beautiful plants available on the websites!

Rose, those sound great.
I love Ligularias and coral bells.
I wish there were large varieties of coral bells. They make such great underplantings with lilies.

Next month, we're moving to a new house with a (much) bigger garden so I have ordered quite a few new perennials. Most are bearded irises (last count says I ordered 70, but that could easily end up a bit higher ), a few Siberian irises in warm hues as I already have several different blue ones, some specieses iris just to try them out and finally 'some' (okay it's 'a lot' actually ) woodland plants, mostly Anemones, Heucheras and Hostas for the large semi-shaded bed(s) I plan to put next to the existing hedgerow in one corner of the new garden. The ground is still frozen here, but I can't wait to get started!

Lilli, The new garden sounds great. I hope you keep sending landscape images as it developes.
I moved to this large lot 11 years ago, there was nothing except evergreen trees and mulched area around the border of the property. I couldn't stop planting .I had help from the gardeners on the website.
This is the only garden where I "lasagna'd" the sod to make a better shape.
2009 March


a few years later


Best of luck with the new project.

If my garden turns out just half as well as yours, I'll consider myself blessed!

Excited about spring just around the corner and there are a few on my wish-list:

Flame Acanthus
Buddleia
Jasmine
Clematis

I already have gladiolus bulbs to get into the ground.

Jo Ann I have seen some larger coral bells in the catalogs this winter. Beautiful garden photos as always !
Lilli congrats on the new home. Can't wait like everyone else to see your transformation of the landscape in the coming months/years.
Bea I got some Catmint from @Taylordaylily Karen last season. I am excited to see it bloom this year.